Burglar resisting safe



June 11, 1940. c, R 3 v s 2,203,675

BURGLAR RESISTING. SAFE [36 f l/' N I I, P' .---1-| II s i e I 24 34 i las I l 7 I l I I 24 l N l l 1N VENTOR.

C. R. DAVIS June 11, 1940 BURGLAR afisxsrme SAFE 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledNOV. 19, 1936 June 11, 1940. R DAVIS 2,203,675

BURGLAR RESISTING SAFE Filed Nov. 19, 1956 Sheets-Sheet 5 L y 21 w1NV.ENTOR.

June 11, 1940. I C R DAvls 2,203,675

BURGLAR RESISTING SAFE Filed Nov. 19, 1936 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 & I

June 11, 1940.

c. R. nAyls BURGLAR RESISTING SAFE Filed Nov. 19, 1936 6 Sheets-Sheet 5x2 v P w w, A

Patented June 11, 1940 7 Claims.

My present invention relates to burglar resisting and detecting devicesand more particularly to safes and/or strong boxes in which valuablesare stored, and it has for its object to provide 5 such a device in aneat, eflicient and commercial form which'shall be'fitted with variousmeans that will promptly detect and give an alarm or alarms at suitablepoints when the safe is tampered with by thieves or unauthorized personsno matter what scheme of attack is employed though not interfering orbrought into play when authorized persons seek entry, as through thelegitimate use of the safe combination. The improvernents are directedin part toward providing it! an audible alarm in the safe itself, anelectrical line of communication to a distant station, such as policeheadquarters, thoroughly protected against cutting; toward the provisionof a gas disseminating device eil'ective to overcome a my thievingoperator upon the safe and toward the provision of a high frequencyelectrification of the strong box itself so that a person attempting toremove it is stunned thereby.

A further feature of the invention is the provim sion of a source ofelectrical current supply and actuating devicesfor the variousinstrumentalities wholly contained within the safe structure so that theoperation of the safe instrumentalitles is not dependent upon suchservice from out- 5, side that might fail or be cut as a preliminarymeasure to the attack upon the safe itself. To these and other ends, theinvention resides in certain improvements and combinations of parts, allas will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel features beingpointed out in the claims at the end of this specification.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a safe structure fittedand constructed in accordance with my in-- vention and constituting anembodiment thereof;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the base pedestal;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged substantially central vertical sectiontherethrough, looking toward the front but with elements contained inthe base shown in elevation;

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the base;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through the base taken inthe plane of one of its vertical walls;

Fig. 6 is a further enlarged top plan view of the base element;

Fig. 7 is a detail section on the line 'l-'-'l of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 6 but with the flooring of the upperchamber removed;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail section on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8, and

Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic view, partly structural, of the circuitarrangements involved.

Similar reference numerals throughout the several views indicate thesame parts.

To first give a general idea of the construction and mode of operationof the embodiment of the invention shown, in order that specificdescription with reference to the drawings can be more readilyunderstood, I provide a strong box or safe proper which to outwardappearances may resemble any ordinary safe and we assume for somepurposes that it is a safe provided with the usual type of dial and knobcombination with a bolt actuating handle, as shown in Fig. 1. Thisstrong box rests upon a base, preferably of the same contour, which basein turn rests upon a pedestal that otherwise corresponds to an ordinaryfloor support, each of the elements so far mentioned being separablefrom the other.

The problem confronted is to prevent a thief or cracksman, as we maysay, from successfully engaging in the following means of forcing thesafe:

(1) Removing the strong box bodily from the premises so that it may beworked upon at leisure in a safe environment,

(2) Drilling the walls of the strong box,

3) Knocking the combination, as it is called, and destroying thatcontrol over the bolt handle,

(4) Attacking any of the walls of the safe with an acetylene torch.

As before outlined and except for an exteriorly running connection foran additional type of alarm, agencies energized from a source ofelectric current, together with that source, are housed within the basesection. These include an audible alarm signal, a high frequencygenerator connected to the outer metal shell of the strong box, one ormore gas disseminating devices and a blower or similar medium forputting pressure behind the liberated gas. The base and strong box aresufliciently separated or provided with communicating passages so thatthe gas liberated from the base envelops the strong box and, accordingto its inherent nature, results in blinding or stupefying a person intouch with or immediately adjacent to the installation.

The first of the aforesaid methods of attack is met by the highfrequency electrification primarily but also by the gas liberation andby the M Eli all

fright of the alarm. The second and third are met by the gas liberation,probably by the electrification and also by the alarm, while the thirdis met similarly, the alarms being such that by any of these attackselectric circuits are closed that set off the entire program.Incidental, but

' nevertheless important to this, is the actuation of these devicesthrough the medium of a relay in the circuit whereby, though the initialcontact or short circuiting be instantaneous, these alarms and othermanifestations continue until the energy of the source of electricsupply is entirely exhausted which, with the instrumentalities shown inthe present embodiment, may be made to extend through a number of hours.fourth method of attack, a plurality of thermostat pyrometers are placedwithin the walls of the safe at suitable intervals that close theprotective circuits when heat sufllcient to effect entrance through thewall is applied thereto.

In the case of the one and only outside medium of protection, a conduitfor the wires of the police communicating system is so constructed thatif an attempt be made to cut it, the main operating circuit will stillbe closed and all of the agencies other than this one will go intooperation anyway,

Referring more particularly to the drawings for a detailed descriptionof the structure, S indition and are rather conventionally shown hereinas comprising an outer shell 6 (Fig. 3), an inner shell 1 and anintervening packing 8 of fireproof material except that within the bodyof the wall is another lamination! of conducting material Ill. Thepurpose of this arrangement is to close an electrical circuit betweenthe inner element 9 and the outer shell 6 acting as a ground in case thewall of the safe is drilled, which circuit will be hereinafterexplained.

The knob 3 and dial ring 4 are insulated from each other and on oppositesides of this same circuit so that if these elements of the combinationare mutilated they will make contact and also close the circuit, but thedetails of this arrangement are described and claimed in a separate andcopending application of mine, Serial No. 111,670, filed November 19,1936.

Referring now moreparticularly to Figs. 3, 5 and 6, the base B similarlyconsists of anouter steel shell ll, an inner wall l2 and an innerconducting plate l3 protected by walls of insulation l4 so that if thebase is drilled or sufficiently mutilated, it will also close the alarmcircuit. This outer steel shell ll extends above the inner wall l2, asindicated at IS, in the nature of a rim and within this rim the innerwall is provided with a seat l6 upon which the strong box S rests. Atthe four corners of the seat are arranged a familiar type of springplunger double acting switch H, the plunger l8 of which is on one sideof the circuit and has a head l9 adapted to cooperate with a leafcontact 20 on the other side of the circuit. The strong box S rests uponthe seat It and in doing 50 holds the plunger l8 depressed in thereverse of the full line position of Fig. 5 out of contact'with leaf 20.If, however, the strong box is tilted or any attempt made to remove itfrom the base and deportedthe plungers are released, snapped to the fullline position As to the -tinuous and effective.

of Fig. 5 and make and break the circuit through the-leaf. Thisinstantaneous closing of the circuit is sufilcient because there is arelay in the latter, as will be hereinafter explained.

A similarly acting system of switches or circuit closers is providedbetween the base B and the pedestal P, still referring to Fig. 5, otherplunger switches 21 being provided at the four corners of the basehaving heads 22 adapted to cooperate with leaf contacts 23. The plungersare held normally retracted by their contact with the pedestal P, asshown, with the circuit broken, but,

referring additionally to Fig. 2, the pedestal P is provided at eachcorner with segmental depressions 24. Therefore, if the base is raisedbodily, the heads 22 of the switches will be forced downwardly to makethe contacts with leaves 23 and, if, on the other hand, it is attemptedto slide the base off of the pedestal in any direction, at least one ofthe plungers will fall into a depression 24 and effect the same result.It may be here explained that the pedestal is structurally combined withan ultimate foundation that persists as such for practical purposes sofar as this consideration of the deportation of the safe is concerned.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 3, 6 and 8, the interior of thebase B is divided into a lower chamber 25 and an upper chamber 26divided by a flooring in the latter, indicated at 21. In the lowerchamber 25 are located batteries 28 and 29, a relay switch 30, a highfrequency generator 3|, a call box 32 and a blower 33 having a dischargemouth 34 driven by a motor 35. All

of these instrumentalities have been conventionally shown for the sakeof .clearness and simplicity and. constitute what may be termed thepower unit of the apparatus. They are all well known devices in the artthat do not require individual specific description, except that withreference to the call box 32 the operating lever 36 thereof has itsself-contained spring motor so arranged that its tendency is to depresslever 36. When the latter is raised, the motor is energized and it isheld raised by a cord 31 hereinafter referred to. When this cord isreleased, the escapement or buzzer is actuated 'with the usual resultsof any telegraphic, call box.

The mouth 34 of the blower delivers into chamber 26 and according to thesize of the installation, if the air in chamber 25 is not suflicient tosupply it for the purposes hereinafter described before its vacuumcapabilities are reached, a

lateral intake 33 is provided in the pedestal P communicating with aport 39 extending through the bottom of the base and communicating withchamber 25 in which the blower is located.

Thepurpose of the blower, as before indicated, is to occasion a forcefuldischarge of a stupefying gas that will envelop the strong box S andsubdue the person who is tampering with the safe by any of the methodsabove outlined. The gas is liberated in chamber 26 and reaches theexteriorthrough an arrangement of passages between the base B and thestrong box S so universally and under such driving power from the blowerthat the envelopment aforesaid is con- These passages, in the presentinstance, are furnished by providing depressions 40 in the strong boxseat l6, which latter is thereby reduced to the four corners.Furthermore, the strong box is bound at its four corners, as indicatedat 43 in Fig; 3, as usual so that, while it makes a fit with the base atthese points, the intermediate depressed panels, indicated in dottedlines at 4| in Fig. 6, are actually spaced from the upstanding rim I! o!the shell portion ll of the base. The-contents of chamber 26 under theinfluence of the blower may, there-v fore, be driven in a him up allsides of the strong box through the passages provided, by thecommunicating depressions and vertical slots 42 that occur as a resultof this spacing of the panels II from the said flanges i6.

The gas containing and liberating means are best shown in Figs. 3 and 6.Mounted on the floor 21 of chamber 26 are clips 44 of the nature ofthose in which fuses are ordinarily held that detachably receive one ormore metallic casings 45 provided with vents l6 and with openings 41 inone side. Mounted on a bracket 46 adjacent each casing is a hammer l9turning on a pivot and energized by a spring 5i coiled about the pivotand having a tendency to actuate the hammer through opening 41 of thecasing. Within the casing is slipped a glass or other frangible tube 52containing in highly concentrated form the stupefying gas previouslyreferred to so that when the hammer 49 is released it will break thetube and liberate the gas. The hammer is normally restrained by a cord53 attached thereto and which passes through a screw eye 54 acting as apulley to an anchor plate 55. Intermediate the pulley and the anchorplate. the cord which is inflammable passes through and in intimatecontact with an eye 56 in a resistance wire suitably supported on thefloor board at 51. When the resistance wire is electrically energized,it will burn the cords 53 through practically instantaneously andrelease the hammers It for the purposes stated.

Connected to one of the cords 53 or otherwise running through the samefusible control is an inflammable cord bl which runs down through thefloor and is the cord that is connected to the lever 3b of the call box32, as previously described. Thus, with the energizing of wire 56, thegas is liberated in chamber 26 and the call box goes into operation.

Referring to Fig. 3, which shows in elevation the inside of the door iof the strong box, the safe combination mechanism is partially shownbeneath the cover plate 58 thereof. So far as this disclosure isconcerned, this combination includes a bolt 59 reciprocated by properand authorized operation through handle 5 which has a crank pin Wthereon engaging in a slot in the bolt. The latter includes a crossheadM on which are the actual locking bolts 62 that are projected andwithdrawn through wall 63 of the safe door to engage wall 64 of theouter strong box. Actuated by bolt 59 is a cross head 65'having plungers6% and 57 thereon. Plunger 66 corrstitutes a conductor and receivescurrent from the main circuit for the purpose of establishing through almife switch element 68 the aforesaid parallel circuit through theelements 3 andlof the combination in. case the same is mutilated asaforesaid and in the manner previously referred to as constituting thesubject matter of a separate application for patent. This lead wire 68also goes to a protective inner positive plate (not shown) arranged inthe safe door in exactly the same manner that plate 9 is arranged in thewalls of the body of the safe. The other plunger 61 functions merely tokeep closed a spring switch 69 in a circuit including Wires Ill and Hphysically shown in the said Fig. 3.

Switch 68 is a master switch and its provision is attributable to thefact that obviously when the safe has, oncebeen opened through propermanipulation of its combination and is in use for the day, there must beno possibility of those having authorized entrance to it being subjectedto the protective apparatus. Hence, in the general operation ofwithdrawing the bolts 62, cross head 66 is retracted, switch 69 remainsopen and nothing can happen through any circuit. Similarly, plunger 66is withdrawn but this is not of so much moment to the general system ofalarm as this merely constitutes an independent means for connecting upthe door I in the same manner thatthe other walls of the strong box areconnected up and renders the door no more vulnerable as to drilling andsimilar mutilation than any of the other walls.

It has been initially stated in this specification that an object of theinvention is to construct a burglar resisting safe in which protectivedevices and their source of electric energy as well would beself-contained to avoid the possibility of their functioning beingnegative by cutting wires from an outside source, andthe description sofar has been consistent with this theory of operation. However, it isobvious that in running contact to a point so distant as apoliceheadquarters, for instance, it becomes necessary to run a communicationline out of the safe for this particular purpose. In the presentembodiment. I run such a communication line'exteriorly in order tocomplete the function of the call box 32 previously described butsurround such line of communication with protective means of such anature that even if it is cut and when it is cut a circuit isestablished that brings into operation the instrumentalities hereabovedescribed.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 8, the selfcontained source ofelectrical energy in the circuit through the call box 3'2 compriseswires M, l5, iii and El collectively confined with proper insulation, asindicated in Fig. 9. in a cable or tube it in the form, in the presentembodiment, of a woven or mesh casing. This casing with an interposedinsulating covering iiiis in turn encased in a hardened steel conduit Wsuitably physically connected at at to the shell of the base B. It,therefore, joins the internal ground of such shell but the tube it hasan electrical connection ill with the protective positive plate Itimbedded in the base wall and hence joins a circuit common with thatplate. Therefore, a tamperer who attempts to saw through the outerhardened casing to, even if successful, shorts a c rcuit between it andthe positively connected cable 18 even before he reaches the wires M toEl confined therein and connected to the batteries and otherinstrumentalities confined in the base in the manner clearly indicatedin Fig. 8, the connections there being so plain that it is not believednecessary to further trace them and more specifically describe them.

It will not be attempted to designate other circuit wire connectionsphysically appearing in Figs. 3 and 8 pending the explanation of thecircuit diagram of Fig. 10, except with reference to Figs. 2 and 3, I2indicates an outside ground wire that runs from the high frequency coil3| down through the bottom of the base B to a copper plate 13 on thebottom of pedestal P that furn shes an absolute ground, it being obviousthat a shocking electrification of the strong box S would not beproduced without an outside ground though otherwise, and with respect toother circuits, the casings are themselves capable of acting as a groundon a contained circuit.

Proceeding now to an explanation of the circuit diagram of Fig. 10, themaster switch 89 controlled by the combination and bolts and plunger 61are shown closed because the strong box must be locked before theburglar resisting devices become operative at all, as previouslyexplained. Also, in the diagram for convenience in layout the coil ofthe double relay 38 is shown at 30* and the contacts on the two sidesthereof generally at 38 and 38 respectively. Also, it is explained thatthe alarm 83 (Fig. 10) may obviously be placed either in the base B oroutside of the safe unit, as, for instance, on the outside of thebuilding that the safe occupies. In the present instance, the latter iscontemplated and hence the wires I6 and II, as shown in Fig. 8,accompany the wires I4 and I5 that run from the call box 32 from thebattery 28 to the outside police alarm through cable I8 and casing 88.

Assuming first, according to the probable means of forcing the safeearlier enumerated, the attempt is made to remove the safe unit bodily.In this connection, while theduplicate circuit is .not shown, it isobvious from the description of Fig. 5 that lifting the base B from thepedestal P effects the same results as lifting the strong box ,3 fromthe base B. In other words, switches I8 and 2| act in the same way andin the diagram of Fig. 10 only switch 2| is designated with its contactmember 23. Also, in Fig. 10, inasmuch as the head 22 is shown in loweredposition, it is to be assumed that the base has actually been raised andthe circuit closed at 2\I23. In such instance, the circuit connectionsare as follows: from battery 28, positive wire I0, switch 89, wire II,coil 30 of the relay, wire 84, wire 85, wire 88, contact member 23,grounded head 22, wire 81 and thence through wire 88 back to thenegative side of battery 28. This momentary circuit through energizingrelay coil 3|! establishes a permanent circuit through the relay circuitcloser 3|| directly back through wire 88 to the negative side of battery28.

The other circuit closer 30 of the relay is similarly actuated which onthat side establishes the circuit from the positive side of the battery29 through wires 89 and 98 back to the negative side of battery 29. Onthis circuit in parallel are the circuits 9|, through the blower motor35, a circuit92 through the high. frequency magneto 3|, circuit I6-IIthrough the alarm 83 and a circuit 93 through the fuse or resistancewire 56 controlling the release of the gas. Inasmuch as the manner inwhich the circuit is made is the same whether the strong box tiltingswitches II or the base tilting switches 2| go into action for the sakeof simplicity in the diagram, the wires to the latter only areindicated.

Assuming next that the second attack is mad namely, drilling the wallsof the strong box or of the base, the circuit established is as follows:the positive side of battery 28, wire I0, master switch 69, wire II,relay coil 30, wire 84, wire,

85, wire 94, to the protective plate I3 in case the drilling is beingconducted there. Otherwise, the current will continue along wire 85 tothe point 95 where it is similarly connected to the plates 9. Or in casethe door is being drilled, it will continue to contact 68 where the lockplunger takes off the current for the latter purpose. In any instance,the drill establishing a ground to the outside casing, the currentreturns to the negative side of the battery, as in the first instance,throughwires 81, 88., I

On the right side of the circuit, in Fig. 10, the

ground from thehigh tension magneto coil 3| is base, means including asource of electrical supindicated at I2, it being obvious that oneattempting to lift the strong box S while standing on the floor himselfsupplies the conductor in order to effect the shocking result.

The thermostat pyrometers connecting the 5 outer shells and the innerprotective plates of the walls of the safe are indicated at 98 on thediagrammatic view in conventional style, it being understood that theyare concealed in the interior filling of the wall. A torch applied tothe shell or 10 outer casing in an effort to burn an opening throughwould so heat the interior as to close the thermostat closest to thepoint of application, and the effect would be the same as closing thecircuit by drilling, and it is, therefore, not necessary to trace. thatcircuit again.

If it is attempted to saw through the outside connection in the conduitwhich is itself a ground, indicated in the diagram bywire 96, as soon asthe saw makes contact with the inner cable I8 it connects with thepositive side of the circuit as represented at 82 and as previouslyexplained it does this long before the enclosed wires I4 to II arereached and severed.

The three wires 85, I8 and H are broken at a plug and socket connection91 in the floor I9'sothat they may be disconnected and the safe liftedoff when authorized persons desire to do so.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a burglar resisting safe, the combination with a strong box havinga wall embodying outer and inner electrical conductance mediumsprotecting the wall the outer medium being constituted by an outsidesteel shell for the box and an electrical circuit including suchmediums, of a chamber structurally connected with the strong box agasdisseminating device arranged in the chamber, there being passagesleading from such chamber delivering to the exterior walls of the strongbox, and means in such circuit for liberating gas from said device whenthe circuit is closed by electrically connecting the mediums.

2. In a burglar resisting safe, the combination with a base and a strongbox connected thereto and having gas conducting passages delivering tothe exterior all around the strong box leading to the exterior thereofthrough which passages liberated gases will tend to envelop the strongbox,

of a gas disseminating device arranged within the ply arranged entirelywithin the base for liberating gas from the gas disseminating devicewhen the strong box is tampered with, and separate means for thereafterforcefully driving the liberated gas through the passages.

3. In a burglar resisting safe, the combination with a base and a strongbox connected thereto and having gas conducting passages leading to theexterior thereof through which liberated gases will tend to envelop thestrong box, of a gas disseminating device arranged within the base,means including a source of electrical supply arranged entirely withinthe base for liberating gas from the gas disseminating device when thestrong box is tampered with, and a blower arranged within the base forforcefully driving the liberated gas through the passages, said blowerbeing provided with a motor energized by around the strong box throughwhich passages liberated gases will tend to envelop the strong box, of agas disseminating device arranged within the base, electrically operatedmeans for liberating gas therefrom, a source of electrical currentsupply having a circuit ,furnishing said means, and inner and outerconductance mediums separated by a relatively thin, sheet-like layer ofelectrical insulating material, said medium being included in saidcircuit arranged in and protecting a wall of one of said first mentionedelements through which a drill penetrating the well would pass to closesaid circuit.

5. In a burglar resisting safe, the combination with a strong box and asource of electrical current supply, of a gas disseminating devicearranged in a similarly protected chamber adjacent to said strong box,there being passages leading from said chamber to the exterior of thewalls of the strong box, and means including the circuit or saidelectrical current supply for lib- 20 erating gas from said device whenthe strong box 'is penetrated.

6. In a burglar resisting safe, the combination with a strong box and asource of electrical current supply, of a gas disseminating devicearranged in a similarly protected chamber adjacent to said strong box,there being passages leading from said chamber to the exterior of thewalls of the strong box, and means including the circuit of saidelectrical current supply for libcrating gas from said device when thestrong box is moved bodily.

7. In a burglar resisting safe, the combination with a strong box and asimilarly protected chamber structurally associated therewith, therebeing gas conducting passages delivering to the ex terior of the strongbox through which passages liberated gases will tend to envelop thestrong box, of a gas disseminating device arranged within the chamber,and means for liberating gal therefrom when a vulnerable element 01' thestrong box is distorted.

CHARLES R DAVIS.

